Check the facts

Editor's note: This Sunday feature will try to vet common misconceptions or false statements in the news.

Claim: An e-mail sent to the News-Leader with this in the subject line, "Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans."

It is followed by a first paragraph which states:

"Monday on Fox news they learned that the staffers of Congress family members are exempt from having to pay back student loans. This will get national attention if other news networks will broadcast it. ... just where will all of it stop?"

The Fact Check: According to a spokesperson with Sen. Claire McCaskill's office, the members of Congress, congressional staff members and family members are not exempt from paying student loans. Some congressional employees are eligible for a federal employee program that will provide some very limited assistance paying back student loans up to a certain amount, depending on income level and length of employment among other requirements. Employees enrolled in the program must count such assistance as income and pay taxes on it. There are no student loan benefits of any kind for congressional family members.

Your source: Disagree with this? Send your claim with its source material to letters@news-leader.com with "Check the Facts" in the subject line.

Suggest a check: Anything you've been hearing you'd like checked out? Send that to us, too.

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Check the facts

Editor's note: This Sunday feature will try to vet common misconceptions or false statements in the news.